In 2005, Puerto Rican businessman Manuel Soltero paid $1.7 million for his dream condo on the 36th floor of the newly built Carbonell Brickell Key on Miami’s exclusive Brickell Key. The selling point for him was a wraparound balcony ostensibly with unobstructed views of Biscayne Bay.

Soltero knew another condo tower, Asia on Brickell Key, was being built next door, but he was assured it would be only 34 stories and no taller than his building. He spent an additional $335,000 on improvements.